All About Toners & Do We Really Need Them?

As a girl who is always on a budget and also loves skincare, you would think like most bloggers out there that the answer is yes. You need toner. But this isn't always the case. And I've gotten this question regarding toners quite a lot. What also doesn't help is that most people are confused on what a toner even is because there are just so many different products on the market that label themselves as toners/essence/cleansing waters/serums simultaneously.  So my explanation about whether toners are necessary or not is pretty long...but bear with me. 

A Little Toner Hx: 

Toners in the olden days (called "skin tonics") were thought of treatments for only oily skin types. This is why toners often have a bad rep for containing a lot of alcohol. Alcohol was often in toners to dry out the skin for oily skin, reduce pore size and keep bacteria at bay. While this is half true, alcohol is very bad for the skin, which is why the market is starting to say things like "alcohol-free" on labels. 

What's the Big Deal With Toners?

In short, toners' main job is to balance the pH of the skin and to hydrate. Toners can have all sorts of consistencies varying from a watery to a more viscous range. But they are often the first step in skincare regimens because cleansing (if not a low pH cleanser) will change the skin's naturally acidic pH to more alkaline. You want to keep the skin's natural pH of 5.5 because this keeps already-present bacteria and fungi at bay. So if you aklanize your skin with cleanser, your skin will be drier and less effective as a barrier against all the bad stuff.

Alright Get To The Point. Do I need Toners? 

In short, no. But hear me out.

In my opinion, if you use a low pH cleanser and a good hydrating essence+serum, you won't need toner to balance out the pH or add extra hydration. What's even better is that there are tons of products that function as a serum/moisturizer in one or a toner/essence in one (ex. May Coop Raw Sauce) to help you shorten your routine and save some cash. 

The reason why skincare gurus use so many products from watery to thicker products is because the steps leading up adds extra hydration and preps the face for oncoming products. The analogy I've heard is like a potted plant. If the soil is hard,cracked,parched. It's best to wet the soil little by little so water can eventually penetrate the roots! Likewise when your skin is dry, toners and essences preps the skin to receive all the beneficial products that you want to penetrate into the skin. And lastly, a moisturizer to top it off to protect all the good stuff in! 

Skincare routines are personal. So find what works for you! 

What to Look for If You Do Purchase One:

1. Alcohol not being the #1 ingredient. 

I used to say that I didn't want any alcohol in my toners, but that changed when I started using the May Coop Raw Sauce. While it does have alcohol in it, it's not the first ingredient. Instead, their first ingredient is maple water, which is effective in penetrating in the skin to hydrate the skin. So hydration>drying effects of alcohol. Of course, I would love it even more without alcohol, but what can you do. I don't develop products. 

2. Water not being the #1 ingredient. 

The fact is. When water evaporates, it takes along water from your skin with it. So if water is the first ingredient, it's 1) not worth the price and 2) dries your skin out. 

Save Some $: 

Gothamista made a great DIY toner/face mist video, check it out! 

What are some of your favorite toners? Are you even going to buy one?